Title
Resolution to Approve a Purchase Agreement for 3021-3023 Miller Road for the Purposes of Establishing an Election Center and Building Studio Space for the Community Television Network $2,800,000.00 and to Appropriate $828,250.00 from the General Fund Unobligated Fund Balance (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Since January 2023 the city has been doing diligence on a transaction to acquire a property to use as an election administration space and as a new studio space for the Community Television Network (CTN). The identified property is suitable for these purposes and the city has negotiated a reasonable price for the acquisition of the space. An attached memo provides more details on the diligence, the transaction, and the plans for the building.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: The purchase of this property shall be funded with $996,750.00 in remaining American Rescue Plan Assistance funding previously allocated for an Election Center by City Council under resolution R-22-096, $1,075,000.00 from the FY 2024 General Fund Non-Departmental General Fund budget and $728,250.00 as a use of fund balance from the General Fund unobligated fund balance, with an additional $100,000.00 for additional costs and expenses related to the sale and immediate occupancy, available in the General Fund unobligated fund balance.
Staff
Prepared by: John Fournier, Deputy City Administrator
Reviewed by: Kevin McDonald, Chief Deputy City Attorney
Michelle Landis, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Marti Praschan, Chief Financial Officer
Approved by: Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor is an important population center in the state of Michigan that contributes tens of thousands of votes to the state every election season;
Whereas, Recent changes in state law have improved voter access by allowing same day registration, no reason absentee balloting, and early voting;
Whereas, These important changes have also created a staggering administrative burden for election administrators across the state;
Whereas, In the 2022 election the Ann Arbor City Clerk hired more than 500 people to help administer the election and required the use of extensive space both within city hall, at the university, and in privately rented facilities to properly execute the election;
Whereas, In the last two election cycles it has become clear that to properly administer our elections in the future the city must acquire additional space to store equipment, have workspace for election workers, securely store voted ballots, hold a receiving board, hold an absentee ballot count board, and provide a permanent home for sensitive ballot counting equipment;
Whereas, CTN is also in need of new studio space because of technological improvements and operational changes that have rendered the current studio space obsolete;
Whereas, New CTN studios can be purpose-built for a new digital future and can be hosted in a city-owned facility at significant annual savings to the Cable Communications Fund over the current leased studio space;
Whereas, The identified property in the Forest Cove development at 3021-3023 Miller Road is sized perfectly to fit both needs, is along an important transit line, is mere minutes from city hall and downtown, and can be purchased at a reasonable price; and
Whereas, In the interest of securing our ability to administer free and fair elections in Ann Arbor, and in the interest of guiding CTN into a new and exciting future, the acquisition of this building meets with the city’s approval and is strategically important for our future;
RESOLVED, That City Council approves the purchase of the property at 3021-3023 Miller Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 (also known as Units 2 and 3 in the Forestcove Office Campus Condominium) in an amount not to exceed $2.9 million, reflecting a $2.8 million purchase price and $100,000.00 for additional expenses and costs related to the sale and immediate occupancy of the building;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute a purchase agreement with the seller for purchase of the property as well as any other necessary documents to complete the purchase after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney;
RESOLVED, That City Council appropriate $828,250.00 from the General Fund unobligated fund balance to the FY24 General Fund Non-Departmental budget for the purchase of 3021-3023 Miller Road, and related expenses; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is authorized to take all appropriate action to implement this resolution, including the determination of satisfactory due diligence, granting of any necessary extensions, and the execution of all appropriate documents.
Sponsored by: Mayor Taylor and Councilmembers Ghazi Edwin, Song, Disch, Radina, and Cornell